A man who left what he described as a 'graffiti art' package containing wires and an iPad outside the American embassy in London has been cleared of making a hoax bomb threat.
The Incident That Caused a Lockdown
The event unfolded on the morning of 22 November last year when a civilian security guard on a routine patrol spotted the suspicious items in an alleyway beside the US diplomatic headquarters in Nine Elms, southwest London. The guard, who 'panicked' believing the item to be a bomb, took a photograph before raising the alarm.
This triggered a major security response. The embassy went into lockdown, and three bomb disposal officers were dispatched to the scene. Following protocol, they conducted a controlled explosion on the package. A police cordon was erected and a local road was closed out of an abundance of caution.
The Trial and Unusual Verdict
The defendant, 44-year-old Daniel Parmenter from Bayswater, west London, was identified through CCTV footage and arrested at his home two days later. He was found wearing the same hat and jumper seen in the video evidence.
At his trial at the Old Bailey, Parmenter denied the charge of placing an article with intent to cause alarm. He maintained that the package was an 'art installation' and a form of 'slightly sophisticated graffiti art of the non-vandal type'. He told police he had left other similar 'gifts' at places, including a framed print relating to 9/11 at the US embassy on a previous Halloween.
The jury found him not guilty. However, in an unusual turn of events, Parmenter was not present to hear the verdict. His barrister explained to the court that his client, who has autism spectrum disorder and had been on bail, had misunderstood the procedure and cycled home after the jury retired. The barrister stated he was 'riding back as quickly as he can' upon realising his mistake.
Aftermath and Broader Implications
The prosecutor had detailed the contents of the package, which included a drum, photo frames, and a large metal tray with writing and a skull and crossbones. The item that caused the most concern was an old-style iPad with a keypad and firework wires taped to it, which was described as appearing to be an improvised explosive device (IED).
While Parmenter was acquitted of any criminal intent, the incident highlights the significant disruption and deployment of resources that can result from items being left in sensitive locations. The controlled explosion and lockdown caused considerable alarm and operational impact at one of London's most high-security diplomatic posts.
